Automobile horn ring press button



March 17, 1953 THOMAS AUTOMOBILE HORN RING PRESS BUTTON Filed March 5, 1952 Ernest R. Thomas INVENTOR.

BY (ma WW lieved or otherwise cut away to form a ledge I3 for the downwardly deflected rim portion IA of the readily applicable and removable cover 16. This cover preferably takes the form of a facing plate in that it is either formed into an ornament itself or is used in connection with a complemental ornament. For example the face plate may be of commercial plastics and of a grade and color so that it harmonizes and is therefore suitably conformable with the finish on the horn ring and also the finish on the steering wheel rim. In the specific version shown in the drawing the facing plate is of clear plastics and serves to lid over and hold in place an escutcheon plate I3. The latter rests atop the base and is suitably ornamented or may be merely formed with a crest, an emblem or the owners insignia. It is within the purview of the invention to use interchangeable escutcheon plates and facing plates and to standardize the base for particular make of horn ring thus making it possible to economically vary and interchange the parts to cope with varying requirements of individuals and automobile sales agencies, etc. In any event the downturned lip portion of the cover plate is provided with keeper grooves to accommodate resilient clasps. Each clasp is of suitable spring metal and is denoted by the numeral 29 and is suitably shaped, has a notch 22 to clear the ring A and has inturned attaching ears or lugs 2 l24 held in place by fastening screws 26. The lateral keeper 28 as best shown in Figure 4, for example, fits into the keeper groove to hold the cover removably in place. The springiness of the metal makes it possible, using a screwdriver, to pry the keeper 28 out of the keeper groove and in this manner to readily apply and remove or change the facing plate without too much trouble.

The attaching, adjusting and clamping means revealed in the Figures 1 to 4 comprises simple suitably bent embracingclips 3i: riveted in place :at 32, the other ends of the clips being fastened by screws or the like 34.

The alternative fastening means in Figure 6 comprises a pair of clamping clips. Each clip is U-shaped and inverted and is denotedby the numeral 36 and is embedded in the base with depending arms 38 having slots 40-49 to receive the end hooks 32-42 on the stirrup 4 carrying a setscrew it having a swiveled clamp 48 engaging the ring A.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a spoke-equipped steering wheel embodying an endless rim, an endless horn operating ring substantially coplanar with and mounted within the marginal limits of said rim and spaced radially inward of said rim but in close proximity to the latter, a thumb-button resting atop said ring, and means adjustably and detachably mounting said thumb-button on said ring, a portion of said thumb-button being situated in the space between said rim and ring and being conveniently accessible for operation by way of a thumb of an adjacent hand without lifting the hand from the rim, said thumb-button being circumferentially adjustable on said ring whereby it may be conveniently situated wherever necessary or desired for safe and reliable operational use.

2. In combination, a spoke-equipped steering wheel embodying an endless rim, an endless horn operating ring substantially coplanar with and mounted within the marginal limits of said rim and spaced radially inward of said rim but in close proximity to the latter, a thumb-button resting atop said ring, and means adjustably and detachably mounting said thumb-button on said ring, a portion of said thumb-button being situated in the space between said rim and ring and being conveniently accessible for operation by way of a thumb of an adjacent hand Without lifting the hand from the rim, said thumb-button being circumferentially adjustable on said ring whereby it maybe conveniently situated wherever necessary or desired for safe and re liable operational use, said thumb-button embodying a base which is centrally grooved, said ring fitting into said groove, an escutcheon member seated atop said base, and a transparent face plate covering said escutcheon member and reremovably fastened to said base and serving as a retainer for the escutcheon'member.

3. For use on a horn operating ring of the type mounted on a vehicle steering wheel, a manually depressible thumb-button for depressing and operating said ring, said thumb-button comprising a base adapted to be perched atop said ring, attachment means carried by the underside of said base whereby the latter may be detachably and adjustably mounted on said ring, a facing plate superimposed atop said base, and resilient clasp means fastened on marginal edge portions of said base and releasably engageable with adjacent marginal edge portion of said facing plate whereby to retain the facing plate removably on the base.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, wherein said facing plate is transparent, and an ornament interposed and clamped between said base and facing plate.

5. The structure defined in claim 3, wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of clamping clips fastened to the bottom of said base and bent between their ends and shaped to securely embrace said ring.

6. The structure defined in claim 3, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one inverted U-shaped clip having a bight portion embedded in said base and having limbs depending below said base to straddle said ring, a stirrup adjustably mounted between said limbs, and a setscrew carried by said stirrup and having a swivelly attached clamping yoke to receive and clampingly engage said ring.

ERNEST R. THOlVIAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,549,637 Wadleigh Aug. 11, 1925 2,131,542 Peters et a1 Sept. 27, 1938 2,175,208 Lyon Oct. 10, 1939 2,197,317 Patner Apr. 16, 1940 

